(AP) – Lowe’s Co. is laying off thousands of employees at its U.S. stores as it outsources some of their duties to outside companies. The home-improvement chain, based in Mooresville, North Carolina, declined to say exactly how many employees were affected. But The Wall Street Journal reported that thousands of employees were told this week that their jobs were eliminated, which the company confirmed. Lowe’s spokeswoman Jackie Pardini Hartzell said Thursday that the cuts are coming as the company moves to a third-party assemblers and facility services to allow store associates to spend more time on the sales floor serving customers. Lowe’s, under its relatively new CEO Marvin Ellison, is trying to return its focus to its home improvement chain and streamline its business.